Thursday saw the opening of the France-Africa summit in the southern French city of Cannes with over 30 African heads of state in attendance.

 

Referring to the summit, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a regular news briefing that China and the EU share common concerns for Africa's peace, stability and sustainable development, noting that the two sides could work together in playing an active role to this end.

 

China welcomes cooperation with any country devoted to Africa's peaceful development, she added.

 

Turning to the Iran nuclear issue, Jiang said China believes the UN Security Council resolution should assist the peaceful resolution via political and diplomatic routes.

 

Reports have emerged that US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns has asked for an upgraded sanction resolution by the UN Security Council following Iran's rejection of the previous Resolution 1737.

 

Jiang announced China's hope that all parties will take constructive measures toward helping the negotiations on the issue resume at an early date.

 

An increase in diplomatic efforts is called for to bring Iran back to the negotiating table, she said.

 

Tackling the Korean nuclear issue, Jiang spoke of China's call to all to truly fulfill their words and thus implement the first step in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

 

The fifth round of six-party talks ended in Beijing on Tuesday on an optimistic note following the adoption of a joint document charting the first step toward the denuclearization on the peninsula.

 

"This was an important step for the six-party talks process," Jiang said, noting the material phase now entered in the denuclearization process.

 

Under the document, North Korea will shut down and seal the entirety of its Yongbyon nuclear facility whilst allowing IAEA personnel to conduct all necessary monitoring and verifications.

 

The parities agreed to provide emergency energy assistance to North Korea at first, with the first 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil aid to commence arriving within 60 days, said the document.

 

China stands ready to help all parties begin this work related and to implement related duties at an early date.

 

According to the document, the six parties will establish five working groups relating to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the normalization of US-North Korea relations, the normalization of Japan-North Korea relations, economic and energy cooperation and a Northeast Asia peace and security mechanism.

 

After discussion and deliberation, these working groups will formulate specific plans for the implementation of the September 19, 2005 statement in their respective areas, with their next meeting to be held within 30 days.

 

Jiang revealed that a Chinese official would lead the working group on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, a South Korean official would oversee the group on economic and energy cooperation, and a Russian official would head up their counterpart for a Northeast Asia peace and security mechanism.

 

The leaders of the groups on normalization of US-North Korea and Japan-North Korea relations would be appointed from within those three countries, according to Jiang.

 

Jiang further addressed the energy package, saying the details of the promised assistance would be finalized through consultation and based upon appropriate assessments by the working group on economic and energy cooperation.

 

As to any remaining issues between North Korea and Japan, Jiang hoped the two nations could solve these through bilateral contacts.

 

Ensuring Northeast Asia can enjoy long-term peace and security is of fundamental interest to all nations in the region, she added, encouraging Japan to maintain an active role in the denuclearization process.

 

Finally, Jiang announced that at the invitation of Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy will visit from February 28 to March 1.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 16, 2007)